You just can’t keep a good sponge wearing square pants down. Nickelodeon announced this week that the network has renewed the globally popular animated series, SpongeBob SquarePants, for a landmark 15th season. The announcement was made on Sept. 29 by Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation President Ramsey Naito.
The announcement was made ahead of the show’s upcoming 25th anniversary, which will be next year. The official X account (formerly Twitter) for the series also commented on the announcement:
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS LANDS SEASON 15 RENEWAL AT NICKELODEON
The hit animated series is produced by Nickelodeon in Burbank, California. Season 15 will consist of 26 episodes. The new pickup marks 345 total episodes since the series first launched in July 2019.
The series stars the incurable optimist, SpongeBob (voiced by Tom Kenny), who lives in Bikini Bottom with his best friend Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke). He works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab for his boss Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown). Some of his other friends include Sandy Cheeks (Carolyn Lawrence) and there’s also his archenemy Plankton (Mr. Lawrence). It generally follows SpongeBob’s nautical and nonsensical adventures under the sea.
The new episodes will debut on Nickelodeon and will feature a range of new situations. SpongeBob suspects he’s developing an allergy to Krabby Patties, Plankton learns self-defense from Sandy, and Mr. Krabs starts going to the gym, and more. Also back for the new season is the rest of the ensemble of great voice actors, including Rodger Bumpass as Squidward.
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Marc Ceccarelli and Vincent Waller are the current executive producers of SpongeBob SquarePants, The Patrick Star Show, and Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years. Production of the show is overseen by Claudia Spinelli, Senior Vice President of Animation for Big Kids at Nickelodeon, and Kelley Gardner, Vice President of Current Series and Animation at the network.
According to the network’s announcement, the series renewal is part of its strategy to be the current home of the biggest franchises that kids and families alike love, as it expands the portfolio of properties. Now, Nickelodeon is home to SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dora, The Smurfs, and long with co-productions of Transformers and Monster High.
The greenlight is part of Nickelodeon’s strategy to be the home of the biggest franchises kids and families love, and it expands its growing portfolio of influential properties that already includes SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Dora, along with The Smurfs partnership and Transformers and Monster High co-productions.
Since its debut in 1999, SpongeBob has spawned a Tony award-winning Broadway musical adaptation, multiple hit theatrical films, tons of consumer products, and a global fan base. The animated series has also become one of the most distributed properties in the history of Paramount Global, being watched in more than 170 countries and translated into 29 languages. The show is believed to average more than 100 million total viewers every quarter.
It’s a little crazy and fun to see that SpongeBob has managed to endure for 24 years and is heading toward its 25th anniversary. However, the franchise and characters have truly withstood the test of time and drawn a legion of loyal fans and followers.
The series was created by the late Stephen Hillenburg who sadly passed away in 2018. The last movie in the franchise was 2020’s The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, which was written and directed by Tim Hill. Fans who want to check out more of SpongeBob can check out the first 12 seasons, which are streaming now on Paramount+.
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What do you think of the news? Are you excited about SpongeBob SquarePants getting its renewal for a 15th season? Do you have a favorite season, episode, or movie for the franchise? Let us know your thoughts about the news on The Illuminerdi’s social media.
SOURCE: Nickelodeon, Variety
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